So, what exactly is Classic Rock... really? Well, you just might be surprised by the answer to this question. If you thought it was a genre of music, you would be wrong. In fact, Classic rockgenres of rock music. includes several
Classic Rock was conceived originally as a radio station-programming format that led to the rise of FM Radio, at a time when AM Radio was dying. The origin of classic rock can be traced back to the release of The Beatles album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". The first loosely termed, "concept album" ever produced. Concept albums are song based but thematic in approach, as a result no singles were produced. Since singles were, the basic programming format for AM Radio stations this excluded them from being able to play the album. FM Radio disc jockeys were prompted to play selected tracks from the Beatles album in order to retain listeners. This in turn created what was called "Progressive Rock Radio" or "Free Form Radio" in which disc jockeys controlled more of the music that was aired, in the late 1960's and 1970's. This evolved into a more commercially oriented variant, which was called "Album Rock", on most FM radio stations this then evolved finally into "Classic Rock Radio. Based mostly on music from the past similar to "oldies" but concentrating on music from the "Classic Rock Era" from which play lists are developed
The first radio station to call itself "Classic Rock" on the air was a radio station in, Philadelphia WYSP in Jan of 1981, by disc jockey Dick Hungate. The classic rock format includes several Genres of rock music, and refers to an era in time rather than a type of musical style or genre. Breaking it on down, the genres included are:
"Hard Rock": British, American and Progressive bands. The pillar artists for British hard rock bands are; The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Cream, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and Deep Purple.
The pillar artists in American hard rock bands are; Jimmi Hendrix, The Doors, The Steve Miller band, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, The Eagles, and Credence Clear Water revival.
"Heavy Metal": Ac/Dc, Guns and Roses, Rush and Van Halen.
"Arena Rock": Styx, Boston, Journey, Supertramp, REO Speed wagon, and Peter Frampton.
"Southern Rock" : Lynard Skynard and the Allman Brothers
Counter Culture "Folk Rock": Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Arlo Guthrie.
"Psychedelic": Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, the Doors, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones
One of the largest influences on many of the artists during this musical revolution, this "Classic Rock Era" the late 1960's through the 1970's was the Vietnam War. Although some of the music was directed right towards politics, much of the resultant music was based on the need of the younger generation in America for freedom of expression. Whether expressed through the lyrics or through a screaming guitar. Rock and roll is here to stay!
